Harry Potter and the Fallen Five
by chemicalangel
Summary: The war has begun. Seventh year.HHR.The hunt for the horcruxes is on.
1. Superman, Batman, and SuperTed

Chapter One : **Superman ,Batman, and SuperTed **

by Chemicalangel

I don't own HP****or any of the other characters. Wish I did . But I don't. Cruel world, isn't? Read review, share your thoughts.

He sat staring out of the train window. That's all he could do. The sadness and guilt washed over him like a huge wave that threatened to engulf and suffocate him. He thought the question that has plagued his entire life, or at least as far back as he could remember. _'Why me? Why me of all people? There are thousands upon thousands of magical beings in this world. Why am I the one that has to face him. Why am I so bloody special? Why is the people I care about the ones that die?' _This is all that was running through his head. Harry turned to see the compartment door slide open as his best friends entered. He noticed that they looked as weary as he felt. Not knowing what to say, he turned and looked back at his reflection in the window of the Hogwarts Express. What he saw sickened him.

Off in the distance he saw clearly the dark mark hovering over a distant small town. It showed brightly in the night sky. He somehow knew that the Death Eaters had left none alive. He seemed to sense it deep inside his heart. He also knew that this was only the beginning. Nothing could prepare the wizarding world for what was to come. The war of good and evil had begun. It wouldn't be the same without Dumbledore. Voldermort knew he would have open reign with Dumbledore dead. Harry looked to see the horrified faces of his friends. They had seen the dark mark. They rose out of their seats and made for the sliding door. When Harry didn't follow them, they turned and looked at him questioningly.

He looked up at their frightened faces and said in a soft but broken voice, "There's no one alive there. They're all dead. They've even killed the children." A sob was heard coming out of Hermione's mouth. Ron sat back down with a pained look in his eyes. After about five minutes of standing without saying a word, Hermione whirled out of the compartment door. Ron and Harry looked at each other. Wondering who should go after her. They both stood at the same time. Harry quickly sat back down. He didn't want Ron to misunderstand his intensions. He only wanted to help his friend. Ron had looked guiltily at Harry, thinking of their earlier argument.

_Ron had seen Harry comforting Hermione after Dumbledore's funeral. She had held together pretty well up till right before they were to leave the castle. She had seen Harry slip out to Dumbledore's grave to say his final goodbye to his late head master and beloved friend. She saw him fall to the ground in great sobs. She immediately broke down and couldn't hold her emotions in any longer. For her feelings of guilt and responsibility over Dumbledore's death mirrored that of Harry's._

_Harry turned and saw her distressed face. He got to his feet and came towards Hermione and cradled her gently in his arms. He began to rub the small of her back in soothing circles. This seemed to do the trick of calming her, so he continued this action, as he placed a soothing kiss in her hair. He didn't notice that Ron was twenty feet away, looking murderously at Harry. He had missed the racking sobs that had brought the two of his friends together. All he had saw was Harry holding Hermione in his arms, and the kiss on the head. That was the last straw for Ron. He felt that Hermione had chosen Harry and not him. Ron grabbed Harry's arm and jerked him violently backwards. Harry looked to see who had pulled him so forcefully away from Hermione. _

_Ron spat out, "We need to talk." He lead Harry away from Hermione's confused face. Harry noticed that her face was extremely cute looking when she had that look. He shook those thoughts from his mind as he realized who he was with and the reason he was following Ron and remembering Ginny momentarily. He came to a halt as Ron stopped abruptly and turned in Harry's face. "You know how I feel about her. Why? And what about my sister?" Ron's face was quickly going the same shade as his hair. Harry knew he had to say something, so he simply told Ron the truth, as best as he knew it._

Ron cleared his throat bringing Harry back to the present, "You go. I'll take her prefect patrol duties." Harry made his way out into the darkened corridor in search of Hermione. He walked toward the back of the train. There were few people that were still awake at this late hour, as he passed compartment windows he saw people sitting in their seats asleep. Some sleeping faces looked serene; while others had a look of pained expression etched on them. As he got to the back of the train he saw Luna Lovegood standing outside the loo doors. She turned when she heard him come to a stop behind her.

"Hi Luna, is Hermione in there by any chance?"

" Yes she is, she's been in there a few minutes crying. I do wish that she would come out soon." Luna stepped to the side and made way for Harry to knock lightly on the bathroom door.

A muffled sob answered the gentle tapping of his light fingers.

"Who's there?"

" It's me." Harry stated soothingly. There was no reason to say his name. She knew by the gentle use of the voice outside the door, who would be there. The door opened slowly revealing a tear stained Hermione. She had a surprised expression on her face when her eyes spotted Luna.

"I didn't know anyone was out here with you Harry." Luna stepped forward,

" I was waiting on the bathroom." Harry looked perplexedly at her.

"Didn't you knock on the door before I got here? You said you had been here a few minutes before I'd gotten here. Didn't you?"

"I didn't knock. I didn't want to disturb Hermione. Plus, I knew you would come to check on her soon enough. You always do." She had stated this with the honest frankness that Harry had come accustomed to. She made her way into the bathroom and closed the door behind her with a small click. Hermione cleared her throat.

"You know, she's right about that. You do always come when you're needed. A bit like Super man."

" I prefer Bat man."

"Why? Bat man doesn't have any super powers."

"Exactly, but he still tries to help people. Especially the cute girls in distress." This statement brought a diminutive smile to her tear streaked face. Harry's heart gave a great leap and his stomach knotted, but not in an unpleasant way. She threaded her arm through Harry's.

"Let's go Batman, I think Robin may be waiting up for us."

"That's funny, I see Ron as more of a Spotty."

"You know who Spotty is?" She smiled faintly.

"Of course, I know who Super Ted's best friend is. That was one of my favorite telly shows when I was younger"

"Mine too. Which super hero am I Harry?" He thought for a minute or so.

"None," she looked a little hurt, but he rushed on with his sentence. "You're, like you. You're like a new breed of super hero. Wonder woman couldn't hold a candle to you. One day you'll have your own action figure." She squeezed his arm at hearing the welcome compliment.

As they made their way back to the compartment, they talked about other things from their childhood in the muggle world. Tonight's earlier tragedy was pushed away, but Harry and Hermione knew that all the pushing in the world could not push it completely out. Harry knew that what was to come would not only be hard, but maybe impossible. All he knew was, if he had people like Hermione and Ron on his side, things may not be as hopeless as some thought. He had to fight for what was right and not what was easy. He had to, or darkness would overcome not only the wizarding world, but the muggle world as well.

**Questions, comments are welcome. Almost expected. There's plenty of mistakes, I'm sure. Tell me what they are. Leave a review and wipe your feet on the way out please.**


	2. Chapter 2 Three Feet, One Mouth

**Chapter 2 - Three Feet, One Mouth**

Disclaimer: don't own it. Wish I did. But I don't. Sick world.

The first thing Harry was aware of was that his shirt was drenched with sweat and his headache had returned. He sat up sluggishly in his bed, wincing at the bolt of pain that ran through his mind. He sat alone in the darkness. Privet Drive had never seemed more desolate or wretched. His nightmares were as horrible as ever. His mother's screams, the tormenting from the Dursleys, seeing Voldermort for the first time, the basilisk from the chamber of secrets, the dementors, Cedric dying, Sirius dying, Dumbledore dying. The Department of Mysteries, The graveyard, the cave. Flashes that were slowly driving him mad.

He had to get up, there was no more sleep to be had this night. His clock told him that it was only one in the morning.He walked to his window and peered through the grimy glass. He searched the sky for his snowy owl, but there was still no sign of her. He knew it was selfish of him, but he needed them. He needed them by his side. They were what was keeping him sane. Hermione and Ron would be here, but when? This was what he was waiting on. As he walked in circles around his bedroom he thought to himself.

"_What could they be? Where could they be? Where would Voldermort hide them?_" He had no idea. Even after seeing all of the memories in Dumbledore's pensieve . He was no closer to them than…

"Wait one minute. I've been trying to think where Voldermort would hide his horcruxes, but it was Tom Riddle that made them, not Voldermort. He was still Tom Riddle at the time of the making of them. I've been going about this all backwards." He clamped his hand over his mouth extremely fast, as if afraid someone might be listening. He jumped as he heard tapping at his window. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was Ron. Ron on a broomstick, outside his window. He walked over to unlock it, but stopped.

"What is your favorite quidditch team?"

"Chudley Cannons."

"What is your favorite food?"

Ron looked a little concerned at this question. Harry looked a little put out. "Alright, fine. What is your top ten favorite foods?"

Ron's face lightened. "Mashed potatoes, Sheppard's pie, mum's famous roast pudding, pickled lemon cakes, chocolate frogs,slo.."

"Alright, now I know it's you." Harry interupted as he opened the window. " And a chocolate frog isn't a type of food."

"Depends on your perspective, mate." Ron quipped as he dusted his robes off.

"True. Didn't Hermione come with you?"

"She brought me here by apperation. I only came up to your window by broom. She wanted to check the perimeter." He said smirking. "That was her excuse, but I distinctly heard her muttering something about boys sleeping in their underwear. So I suggest you put some clothes on before she comes up."

Harry had been standing in his boxers, remembering that before Ron had come knocking he had been changing into un perspired in clothes. He went to pick out a shirt and pants, but an idea crept into his head. He walked over to his window and peered down. There, right under his window was a pacing Hermione.

"Oy, Hermione." She looked up at the call of her name. "Could you give me just a few minutes, I need to put some clothes on," He could see her blushing in the moonlight. And the he added, "and underwear too." He pulled his head back in with a smirk on his face. He looked at Ron.

"It's alright, I know, you told me already, you're just friends. But I think that was mean, even by my standards."

Harry felt a little ashamed of himself. He knew he was lying about his feelings for his friend. She had been one of the real reasons he had ended it with Ginny. He wasn't going to say that out loud of course. He couldn't. Not now. Not after he somewhat knew that Hermione liked Ron. He wanted them to be happy. He knew what he felt for her, he also knew that she and Ron would need each other if he failed in his destiny. He shook these morbid thoughts from his head as he got dressed. He looked over at Ron and nodded his head. Ron walked over to the window and dropped his broom for Hermione. There was a small thud followed by a small gasp of air. Harry spun around at Ron already realizing what had obviously happened.

"What are you trying to do, knock the sense out of her?" He grabbed his own broom and went out the window without waiting for Ron's protests about coming too. He landed a few feet away, so as not add anymore injuries to this sweet girl at his feet.

He kneeled at her side and scooped her halfway onto his lap. He ran his hands through her hair as her eyes started to flutter open.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, it's me." he said a little too softly.

"What hit me?"

"Ron. He dropped his broom out the window and didn't warn you."

"Figured as much."

He was still running his fingers through her hair. He seemed to notice this fact a little too late. She brought her hand up to still his.

"Um, um, I was just looking for bumps."

"Oh." She sat up a little. "Could we go inside? I want to give Ron a piece of my mind." Harry laughed a little at what she had said. That brought a smile to her face.

"It's good to see you laugh again."

"I only laugh at you. No ,I didn't me at you." He said hurriedly. "I've put my foot in my mouth, haven't I?"

"I do believe you've pulled it out in time."

"Good. I didn't want to have to bite it off to get it out" he said as he got to his feet. "Do you feel steady enough to fly up there?"

"I think so."

They flew up through his window and landed with hardly any noise made. Though even a raging dragon couldn't have been heard over their other friend's snores. Ron was splayed across Harry's bed. Taking up every inch.

"Well, the bed's taken. Harry ,where do you and I sleep?"

Images flashed through Harry's head. He turned to look slightly flushed at Hermione, "You and I? Well, we could push Ron off the bed and have at it." Harry was horrified at what was coming out of his mouth. "I mean have at the bed, er, I mean you could have the bed. Er , I believe my other foot just went in my mouth. Didn't it?"

Hermione snickered, "I believe it did Harry. But we still have to find some where to sleep."

"Dudley's not home,he's at boxing camp. You could go to sleep in his room. You could transfigure his bed into a new bed for yourself."

"Where are you going to sleep? I know you can't sleep with that buzz saw going." she said pointing at Ron.

"I admit that his snoring has gotten a bit louder. I'll sleep in the cupboard under the stairs."

"No you will not. Besides, you can't possibly fit there. It's probably to small for you."

"Well, I can't go crawl in bed with my Aunt and Uncle. I could sleep in the bath tub."

"You could sleep in Dudley's room with me."

Harry gave a hard swallow at these words. "Sleep with you? In your bed? In the same bed as you? I don't think that's a good idea." he was stumbling over his words and turning bright red.

" I do believe you have a third foot Harry and I do believe if you are not careful, you may swallow that one."

"You didn't mean sleeping in the same bed ,did you?"

"As awfully tempting as that sounds, no. I meant that I could transfigure Dudley's bed into two beds . One for you and one for me."

"Oh" he silently went and opened the door and showed her to the room and watched as she made two beds from one. Her words rang out in his head as he was falling asleep, "_As awfully tempting as that sounds."_ He wondered, "_Did she mean it, or was she just joking?"_

Like it? Review. Tell me where I screwed up. Review and wipe your feet on the way out.


	3. Sunshine, dasies, and playboys?

**Chapter 3 Sunshine , daisies and playboys? Part one**

Disclaimer:Don't own it, never will. What a shame. A/N:This chapter does switch POV at some point. If you don't like... well you just don't like it. Sorry it's too late, you're already reading. Might as well keep going.

As Harry opened his eyes and put his glasses on, he saw something that completely took his breath away. Never in his entire life had he seen anything or anyone more beautiful. She was four feet away. The sunshine that was streaming through the dusty window made her seem to be almost angelic looking. The rays played across her chestnut hair and shoulders , making her hair look like wavy strands of gold. He had to breath deeply and mentally restrain himself from going over and running his fingers across her slender jawline. He had never seen her asleep like this before. He had seen her doze off in the common room at Hogwarts, but this was different somehow. He had never woken up before with someone other than Ron in the room.

Suddenly her face changed into a look of sorrow. Then anguish. She shifted slightly and began to mumble. Her voice was very soft. Harry couldn't quite make out what she was saying at first, but she started to repeat it over and over. "Harry, Harry? Where are you? I can't see you. Please tell me where you are!" at this point she started to hysterically sob in her sleep. Harry couldn't take it anymore. He had to go to her. He slipped out from under his cover and off the bed that Hermione had made for him. He leaned over her bed. He gently touched her shoulder. Her eyes flew open as soon as his hand had made contact .Her teary brown eyes sought his green as emerald eyes. She quickly pulled him into a huge vice like hug. His socked feet slipped out from under him and he landed half on the bed, and half on Hermione.

Harry raised his head and was shocked to see Hermione's face so close to his. She had the same shocked expression on her face as well. A blush began to creep up onto their faces. Harry moved his hands on the bed, putting one hand on each side of her. She moved her hands onto his chest. Neither moved, beyond that. Time seemed to have stopped for them. Suddenly they heard walking outside the door. Then the doorknob began to turn. Harry didn't want to be caught in this position. He knew Hermione didn't either. He did the only thing he could think of doing at the time. He rolled off the bed and then under the bed.

Harry tried to breath slowly, so as not to stifle to death from the dust. He could see the door open and Ron's trainers come into view.

Ron cleared his throat, "Um, is Harry in here?"

"He was last night, but I don't see him now. Do you?" Her voice sounded a little shaky to Harry. Ron seemed not to notice this fact, because he came in and sat at the foot of Hermione's bed. Harry heard Ron take a deep breath.

"Um, I need to tell you something." _Oh, merlin, not now. Not now. Do you have to tell her now?Why do you have to do this now of all times?_ Harry wanted to put his fingers in his ears and sing at the top of his voice, just to block out what he knew was coming. He knew he couldn't though. He wanted Hermione to be happy. He wanted Ron to be happy. He just, well he didn't want them to be together. That was a truth that he kept trying to avoid. He cared for her more deeply than a friend. That was the reason for the distance he was trying to keep over the last year. But his resolve was slowly melting away. Just being near her was an enormous struggle. His head snapped up at Ron's words.

"Well, I just thought that we could go out sometime. If you wanted to that is." Harry's heart seemed to stop, it seemed to be waiting for her answer. _What if she says yes? What if they start dating?What if they get married one day? I waited too long to realize how I felt about her. Well that's not true. I realized it long ago, but I was frightened to say anything. I can go up against Voldermort and his death eaters, but a seventeen year old girl scares me to death. Maybe Malfoy was always right about me. I'm just a coward. Seems to be true. I am hiding under a bed, while my friend asks the girl I care about out. _Harry silently lay his head down on his arms. He waited for her answer. The thing that he knew would surely break his heart into a million pieces. Pieces that could never possibly be put back together.

Hermione finally spoke. "Will you give me a little time to think about it Ron?"

"Um, sure. I'll just go see if I can find Harry."

"Why?" she sounded panicked.

"Well, you know how Harry can be sometimes. He may have left to go off fighting by himself. Be just like him, wouldn't it?" He said as he made his way out the door closing it behind him.

"I have a feeling, that Harry's close bye." She leaned over the edge of the bed and pulled back the sham. " Aren't you Harry?" He raised his sad eyes to hers. He said the first thing that popped in his mind.

"Are you going to go out with Ron?" He could barely stop the question his heart was screaming to ask.

"I don't know Harry. It all seems so different now. The way I felt a few months ago doesn't seem to have the same importance as it once did. Does that make any sense?"

" Like it's part of a different world? Like from another lifetime?"

"Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself. How do you know just what to say at times?"

"It's the way I felt at the end of fifth year, after the Department of Mysteries."

"You want to come up here and talk about it?" Harry sheepishly realized he was still lying under Hermione's bed. He slid out, taking half the stuff under the bed with him. Including Dudley's stack of girly magazines. His face turned a dark shade of red as Hermione's eyes landed on them. Harry cleared his throat.

"Those aren't mine! I promise." His voice sounded squeaky to his own ears.

"I believe you Harry. This isn't even your room." She pushed the stack back under the bed. "Do you look at them though?" her eyebrows rose into her feathery bangs.

"No, well alright once, at Hogwarts." he lowered his eyes.

"Whose magazine was it?"

"Not saying, am I."

"Was it Neville's?" That threw Harry's concentration off drastically. He wasn't expecting that name.

"No."

"Dean's?"

"Hermione, I can't tell you."_Ron would kill me._

" Harry, I already know whose it was. I already know that it's Ron's."

" How'd you..." he said baffled.

"Sometimes, you're like an open book Harry. Other times your like the thickest fog."

"Are you saying that I'm thick?" Harry was trying desperately to change the subject. Hermione realized this of course.

"Obviously, I am." she laughed at his expression. Her laughter made his confidence soar. He was glad he could make her laugh.

"Well, it's hard to shine through the fog sometimes, but there's always a little ray of light in the midst of the darkness." He said as he softly touched the end of her nose. "I think I'll go take a shower." He heard her call his name as started out the door.

"Did you like it?" she looked slightly flushed.

"Like what?"

"Looking at the magazine."

" I've seen more beautiful girls than that." He said as he walked out of the room. He stuck his head back inside the door frame. "You're the most beautiful one of them all, you know." He went towards the bathroom, her face was puzzled beyond belief at his words. He smiled to himself. He knew he was being selfish. But he really didn't want to be lonely anymore.

**Hermione's POV.**

_What am I going to do?! I can't do this. I've never had to deal with this before. Boys. I can't tell Ron I don't fancy him anymore. It sounds so, so, shallow. Which is how it will seem. I can't exactly walk up to him and say "Sorry Ron, I don't like you anymore. I'm in love with your best friend, Harry." He'd go ballistic. He'd probably try and beat Harry to a pulp. If not me as well. It's not Harry's fault I feel this way. I can't even tell Harry. Harry still loves Ginny. Even if Harry doesn't like me that way, I can't very well lead Ron on. I'll have to tell him the truth. _She got up and started her search for Ron.

She decided the best place to start would be the kitchen. She was right. He sat there with his bowl of warm porridge. He looked around hopefully. The look he gave her almost made her flee the room.

"Hey, so did you decide yet?"

It wasn't that she didn't like him. She did . Just not the way he wanted.

"I'm sorry Ron I can't. I can't do it."she looked down at her feet as he stood from his chair to face her.

"Why? I thought... What about all that with Lavender?" He was starting to get mad, she could tell by the red color his ears were turning. "A few months ago you seemed to like me. I just don't understand how you can stand there saying you don't like me."

" I didn't say that I don't like you. I'm just not in love with you." she heaved a sigh at his gaining temper."Some things are hard to explain, but that doesn't make them any less true. It could never work. Please believe me, it just couldn't."

"Who is he?"

"Who ?"

" You heard me, who , is, _he_? I know you. There's someone else."

"There is no one Ron."

"Fine, don't tell me, but when I find _him_, he is going to wish he were never born." He stormed out of the kitchen, leaving behind his cooling breakfast.

_That's the problem , I think he already wishes he were never born._

_**Thanks to those who left a review. Leave more. They're quite good. You gave me quite a few good ideas. So thanks. Alright how was it? Did you like it? Was it worth the long wait? You know something, if I didn't love my computer, it would be at the bottom of the lake or busted into little teeny tiny pieces. This is the fourth time I've written this chapter. My computer kept crashing every time I had gotten half way through this chapter. Let's just say, every sentence is saved after I right it now. There are obvious mistakes. Leave a review if you wish. But please, please wipe your feet on the way out.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four- The Dursley's awaken and Harry's a punching bag**

Disclaimer- If I owned Harry Potter, I would be somewhere sunny,warm, and drunk beyond belief, rolling in piles and piles of money. But I don't own him, I said it was a cruel cruel world. I _was _right. Read on and get a shiny new penny.

Harry came into the kitchen to see a melancholy looking Hermione. "What's the matter with Ron? He came storming by me mumbling something about decapitating someone." She looked up from her breakfast as he sat down at the table across from her..

"I told him no." This she said and nothing more. Harry was almost bursting with joy. _Maybe I do have a chance after all. Poor Ron. Poor me if she says the same to me. Could she even like me?We've been friends for so long, could she see me as anything more? _He calmed himself as he sat looking across the table at her. He felt he needed to say something, but what? He knew he was always rubbish when talking to girls. He had known for a while that he liked Hermione, but Hermione had seemed to like Ron. So she was off limits. But now things were different. He had never felt so tongue-tied before.

" Are you alright?"Hermione questioned his quietness.

"Er, of course I am. The question is, are you alright?"

"I suppose so. It's not like I haven't been expecting this .I've known for awhile that he liked me. I thought for awhile I could like him that way too. I just couldn't though. It felt, I don't know, wrong somehow. It was just so difficult seeing his reaction. I don't know what to do about it. I don't even think he'll be speaking with me anytime soon. If ever."

"You're being a bit dramatic about this aren't you?"Harry had the strong urge to slap his own forehead.

"Harry. You didn't see his face. He was furious. He started going on about how I had someone else."

"You don't ,do you?" He needed to know. Panic filled his heart.

"No. Of course I don't . You two would be the first to know if I did."

"Not really. I mean look at Krum. I didn't know about him at all." He couldn't help the bitter sounding words that were coming from his mouth. He regretted them immediately. The look of true hurt flashed across her face. "I'm sorry Hermione. It's just, I think that was the moment we started drifting apart."he said as he motioned from himself to her. " It never truly seemed the same since."

"Harry that was years ago. And what does Victor have to do with anything?"

"He asked." Harry didn't get to finish his statement because a very angry Vernon Dursley came through the kitchen door at that precise moment.

"WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT? ANSWER ME BOY!" Harry jumped to his feet to block Hermione from his uncle's line of sight. That's what happened in this house. Out of sight, out of mind, at least as far as Harry was concerned. If they can't see you,they can't hit you. Although this didn't seem to be the case this time. "MOVE OUT OF MY WAY BOY!"

"NO."

"What did you say to me?" Vernon said quietly as his eyes squinted threateningly.

"I said no." He meant it too. His own eyes slitting.

The shouting had obviously been heard throughout the house. Petunia came marching into the kitchen. Ron followed behind her unbeknownst to her . She said a few choice words about freakish children in her house. Ron then cleared his throat.

"They've got us surrounded!"Petunia shrieked almost looking like she would pass out cold at any moment.. That had been Uncle Vernon's breaking point.

_Uh oh, not good_ . Vernon Dursley was turning purple. That could only mean one thing.

Harry was slammed very severely into the linoleum floor. Then the fat man above him kicked him in the face. _Oh well, it's not the first time my nose has been broken. _He tried to cover his face so Vernon could not inflict further damage.

Harry heard Hermione call out his name as she sprang from her seat and as he lay on the floor.

"Magnas wingardum placebiousa!" She said calling out a fake spell and pointing her wand. Harry saw his fat uncle pale from his earlier color as Petunia Dursley ran to her husband's side screaming about freaks using magic on them, Hermione ran to Harry's side. He could have laughed at his relatives ignorance of the phony spell work, if his face didn't hurt so much.

"Harry, are you hurt?" He tried to tell her yes, but all he got for his trouble was his mouth full of blood. He looked around for Ron. He saw that Ron had pushed his aunt and uncle out of the room at wand point gibbering about _bottoms mellow turn this fellow to jello_. He made his way over to Harry once they were out of the room.

"Bloody hell, he just beat the crap out of you."

"Weally Won? I'b bin't nobice." Harry said as more blood flowed into his mouth.

Hermione reached over and pinched his nose closed, then turned towards the door wishing she could seal it closed.

"Owww! Herbione, dat hurds."

"I'm sorry Harry. I can't do the spell to mend a broken nose. We can't use magic here because you're still under age"she said pinching Harry's bloody nose.

"Dat's albight, I don't dink id's broken."

"Harry something needs to be done." Ron stated firmly. "Maybe you should go to the burrow and get mum to take care of it."

"No, we can't apparate, Ronald, there's anti apparation field around this entire block. Remember?"

Harry whipped his head in Hermione's direction. "When was dat put up?"

"Right after we apparated in. McGonagall put it up."

"Oh, was dat to keep dem out or us in?" he said referring to Death eaters.

"Bit of both I believe. Come on", Hermione sensed his anger growing at the Order "Let's go clean your face off. Ron could you clean up down here?"she said as she took Harry's arm and helped him to his feet.

"Sure." He said to her. Then suddenly he remembered he was still angry at her. "Fine, I'll clean it up."Harry wanted to tell Ron he was being a big git, but he thought if their roles reversed, he would probably act the same way. Or worse.

As Harry sat on the edge of the bathtub he felt a strong swooping sensation in the pit of his stomach. Hermione was gently cleaning his face with a warm wet cloth. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of someone actually caring about him. He felt her hands slide across his forehead and push his bangs away. She ran the cloth across his scar and then took his glasses off as she continued cleaning the rest of his face. For just a few minutes he was calm, as calm as he could ever remember being in his entire life. He let out a small sigh.

"Oh did I hurt you? I'm sorry." She stammered.

"No you didn't hurt me, far from it." He said taking her hands in his and giving them a little squeeze. It's n_ow or never._ "You've done more for me than anyone ever has or should. Or probably ever will. You cared. You cared for me when no one else did"

"Harry, don't say such things. Lot's of people care about you."

"No they don't. I know how people see me. Most see me as 'The boy who lived' or 'The Chosen One' or ' The Weapon. Some even say I'm the next Dark Lord."

"I don't. You're Harry Potter, my best friend. You could never be anything like Voldermort. It's just not you. You're someone who befriended a lonely bookworm in her first year,and made her feel like someone special. To me, you're not the boy who lived, the chosen one ,the weapon or even a new dark lord, you're the rest of my heart Harry."as she said all this her hand had found a place on his warm cheek. "You always will be."

"Harry breathed in shakily and looked her straight in the eyes. "If I asked you the same question Ron asked you, what would your answer be?" She opened her mouth to answer, but at that very moment Ron opened the bathroom door. Hermione pulled her hand away from Harry's face. She lowered her head and didn't look up.

"Every thing's cleaned up downstairs. Are you alright mate, it's not broken is it?"He said referring to Harry's nose.

"No, Ron, it's not broken. Hermione may not be a healer but she knows how to make things better." At these words Hermione looked up to meet Harry's eyes and she smiled.

Ron's eyes darkened a bit at this but said, "That she does. Sometimes" Then laughed lightly and turned around and left the bathroom.

"See, no one can stay mad at you for too long." He reached up to push a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Are you sure about that Harry?" She said doing the same to his bangs.

"Depends."

"Depends on what?"

"Depends on your answer to my earlier question?"

"Um..."

Then the bottom fell out.

_**And that's why they call it cliffhanger i know i have an evil streak. REVIEW!!!!**_

I know it was quite a bit shorter than usual,and there was a long wait, but I think I said what I wanted to say. Even if it's not all that understandable. Thanks to all my reviewers. I promise the next chapter will be longer and have a little action too. It's hard to work and do school and try to have a somewhat normal perspective on life. This was all written during my lunch break. So be gentle.

_Tell me what you think should happen next. I value your opinion. Visit my new myspace page also. I'll put you on my friend's list.wink, bribery , wink:)____I would love to hear from critics, fans ,and other authors. _

penny's found should be returned to the author, because she has no cents.

wipe your freakin' feet.


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